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Aug 15, 2007

I had my first contact with the loan processor at the bank where I will be getting my mortgage. After exchanging and confirming information regarding the loan, he told me that his job was: "To make this process as easy and smooth as possible for me." He then proceeded to give me his manager’s contact info in case I couldn’t get hold of him at any given time, or if I had feedback regarding the process. How’s that for customer service?

I should give some background on my bank. The nearest brick and mortar is about 2 hours away. Over two four years ago, I opened my account online. Why would I open an account like this? Because I have direct deposit, my account is free. So is the online banking/bill pay. My local bank (That I have been a customer for at LEAST 18 yrs) didn’t offer free online banking/bill pay. They charge customers to have copies of their checks included with the bank statement. They have sooooo many “rules” in place that excludes me from taking advantage of their ‘good’ programs. So, I keep a minimal amount of money in my local bank in case I need to cash a check or something. Otherwise everything goes to the online bank. I’ve never set foot inside a brick and mortar. I’ve only had one problem, which was getting the PIN changed when I first opened the account. It was resolved in a short amount of time with very little aggravation. Now, I’m giving them my mortgage business. Again, I applied online and was pre-approved in no time. I’m getting a mortgage where:

1. I don’t have to escrow taxes or insurance. Most banks REQUIRE this. I can do this myself, and earn interest on my money in the process.

2. No closing costs. The bank is picking these up.

3. No PMI, even though I don’t have a 20% downpayment.

4. The bank is paying premiums for unemployment/disability insurance for the first year. The policy will pay up to 6 months of mortgage payments if I’m disabled or unemployed. After the first year, I can choose to continue it or cancel the policy.

I’m thrilled with the program the bank is offering me. So far, I’m thrilled with the customer service I’ve gotten. Everyone that I’ve dealt with in the past few years has always been helpful. It’s rarity these days.